Reconnecting the Person With Humanity: how Psychiatric Nurses Work With Suicidal People

A modified grounded theory study was done in an attempt to discover the psychosocial processes involved when psychiatric/mental health nurses provide care to suicidal people, & in doing so, to induce the first comprehensive theory of psychiatric nursing care of the suicidal person. Findings highlight that the key psychosocial process (or core variable of the theory) is “reconnecting the person with humanity” & that this has 3 stages: reflecting an image of humanity, guiding the individual back to humanity, & learning to live. (19 refs.)